Paperwork When Selling a Car in North Carolina

If you're looking to sell your vehicle in North Carolina, this page will explain the basic process and the necessary paperwork. If you need additional information, please refer to this handy guide to selling your car.

Remember, when selling your car, you should disclose as much information as possible to the potential buyer. If they are cautious about their purchasing habits, they will likely order a vehicle history report and may even have your vehicle inspected by a professional before they make their decision.

Selling Your Vehicle

To sell a car independently in North Carolina, you will need to transfer the vehicle title to the buyer. To complete the transfer, you will need the vehicle's original certificate of title with all of the information on the back of the document completely filled out. This transfers the title from the seller to the buyer, thus making the latter the new owner of the vehicle. The certificate of title includes the following information:

Buyer's name and address.

Date of sale or delivery.

Seller's signature and printed name.

Odometer reading.

Notarization.

Damage disclosure statement.

In addition you will also need to provide the following documents to a NC DMV office to transfer the title:

Though a bill of sale is not mandatory for private party purchases, officials from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) strongly encourage keeping one for your own records. The bill of sale will include information about the purchase, such as the:

Name and address of the buyer.

Date of the sale.

Sale price.

Payment method.

For more information and to download a bill of sale form, visit our Bill of Sale page.

Selling Without a Title or Registration in North Carolina

You will need to apply for a duplicate certificate of title in the event that the original title has been lost or destroyed. See "Replacing a Title in North Carolina" below for more information.

Replacing a Title in North Carolina

In cases where the original vehicle title has been lost or destroyed, you may fill out an Application for a Duplicate Title (Form MVR-4). You will need to wait at least 15 days for your request to be processed. All services processed in person will require acceptable forms of identification documents. If there are any liens on the vehicle title, you will also need to fill out a Lien Release (available from the NC DMV).

Applications must be submitted in person at a local NC DMV office, along with payment for the $15 fee. Payment will only be accepted in the form of cash, money order, or personal checks. Credit and debit cards are not accepted.